The quake, which struck at about 8:45 a.m. (11:45 p.m. GMT Friday), was centered 100 km (60 miles) north of Sendai in southern Iwate prefecture. Aftershocks of 5.0 and 4.4 magnitude followed, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said.

The Iwate government office said it had received reports that eight children and a teacher were injured by breaking windows at a preschool and that the earthquake produced landslides in some areas.

The Miyagi fire department said there had been some injuries caused by falling furniture as well as some bus passengers injured when the vehicle bounced on a bridge. Two houses collapsed, the fire department said. http://www.godlikeproductions.com/fo...sage561821/pg1